Denial
by cindylouwho38
Summary: House has to solve a case and is faced with a new challenge.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Denial  
**Summary:** House has to solve a case and finds himself confused?  
**Disclaimer:** If I owned House, the bill collectors wouldn't be calling me every day, no would they?  
**Rating:** PG-13 to start, R + ch 14 and later

Chapter 1

A young woman and her mother are driving in a car. The young woman is driving. The daughter is lecturing her mother about the dangers of smoking.

"You wouldn't have that cough if you'd quit when I asked you to when I was 6."

"You mean the time you flushed the pack down the toilet?"

"Yes, that time," the daughter, said sarcastically. "Not the other 10 thousand times."

The mother continues to cough as the daughter drives. She looks over to see her mother barely conscious she freaks out and starts yelling at her and shaking her as she drives.


	2. Chapter 2

House is in his office air drumming to "Paint it Black" when Cameron enters.

"59 year old female coughing up blood," started Cameron.

"Boring," says House and continues his air drumming.

"Not boring" says Cameron, turning the iPod off. "She's got 3 autoimmune deficiency disorders and now . . ."

"She a smoker?" House asks, slightly more interested but still avoiding looking directly at Cameron.

"Yes, but . . ."

"But nothing. Lung cancer or emphysema. Take your pick, let Wilson take a look and send her on her way."

"But House . . ."

"But nothing Cameron." House turns the volume back up on his iPod.

"Her lungs are clear," Cameron states, and remains in front of him.

House finally looks up, snatches the chart away from Cameron, as Foreman and Chase enter the office.

"Repeat the chest x-ray and get a full blood workup." House stands up and grabs his cane. He turns off the iPod and walks over to the whiteboard.

"What autoimmune diseases?" House asks in that irritating yet charming way that Cameron can't resist.

"Pernicious anemia, Graves Disease, and Lupus."

"Damn!" Chase says. "She certainly got the fun genetic pack. Hope it came with a prize."

House writes all of these things down on the whiteboard and mulls them over. "Chase, repeat the chest x-ray. Foreman, full blood workup. Cameron, full family history I want to know exactly what we are dealing with here."

"She's still out," Cameron says. "She was in respiratory arrest when she arrived."

"Well, talk to (House flips through the chart) the daughter see what information she can give up."

The three leave, leaving House to stare blankly at the whiteboard.


	3. Chapter 3

Cameron and the daughter, Cally, sit in the waiting room going over the family history

"What can you tell me about your mother's illnesses?" Cameron asks.

"She was diagnosed with pernicious anemia when I was a kid, like 20 years ago or something. The lupus came later, when I was in college. The Grave's Disease was around the same time. (sigh) I keep telling her to stop smoking, to stop working- that she is too sick, but she's more stubborn than sick."

"What about other illnesses?"

"With her? None. Family wise? (Cameron nods) Well her father died of emphysema and cirrhosis of the liver; moistly it was the emphysema that killed him. His lungs were filled with fluid . . .he died in the hospital. I guess they were too busy to notice . . .my grandmother showed up early in the morning and he was stone cold dead. She died of a cancerous mass about 3 years ago. (pause, and Cameron looks on sympathetically) My mom is one of 6, the youngest. Her 2 sisters died have died, one from metastasized breast cancer and the other one, a cancerous mass in her abdomen. Her brothers, one of them has had some heart trouble and the other 2, I know it sounds horrible but I don't' have much use for them so I have no idea. You'll have to ask my mom when she is back and able to talk. When will she be extubated?"

Cameron looks slightly shocked at the use of medical terminology

"I'm a science teacher. . . .kids are curious. It's helpful to know things when they ask questions, things they see on TV, in their lives . . ."

"We're going to run some more tests to see what is going on. She should be extubated soon. Her O2 stats are up and there is no additional evidence of bleeding," says Cameron.


	4. Chapter 4

Back in House's office . . . .

"Cancer, it's got to be. It's rampant through her family," states Cameron.

"Multi-system organ failure as a result of the lupus; first her lungs, then her kidneys?" wonders Chase.

"I agree with Cameron," Foreman says. "Cancer is the most likely candidate . . .lung, maybe pancreatic."

With a start the three collectively jump as their pagers sound to life. The patient is crashing . . . . .

The three revive the patient and return to House, who is now in his office, with the chest X-ray and the blood results.

"Her platelet count is next to nothing!" Chase exclaims.

"White counts and red counts are off as well," Foreman reads off the results.

"Start her on IV gamma globulin for the low platelet count and broad spectrum antibiotics for infection. If she doesn't have one now, she'll get one just being here, being so immunocompromised. Once she is stable, get Wilson to do a bone marrow biopsy to diagnose or rule out cancer." House states all of this with certainty and dismisses the team. He continues to stare at the white board while seemingly unconsciously pops another vicodin.


	5. Chapter 5

The ducklings and Wilson head back to the patient's room. The mom is lying in bed, and the daughter is pacing the room.

"The tests came back showing there's a low platelet count," Cameron stated. We're going to start you on IV gamma globulin and antibiotics."

Cally is astounded. "Again? I thought they fixed all that."

"What'd you mean again?" Chase asked, confused.

"This happened a few months ago . . .the doctors did the same treatment, and said she was fine."

"We'll begin treatment and run some more tests," Wilson says. The ducklings leave. "I want to perform a bone marrow biopsy see if we can determine why this is happening." As usual, Wilson's voice is gentle and soothing.

"So you're thinking cancer?" Mom finally speaks up.

"We'd like to rule it out." Wilson looks directly at her, trying to be comforting and convincing.

"I suppose it would be no surprise . . .that's how everyone else has gone," Mom says resigned.

"I'll perform the tests in a bit and see what we find." Wilson leaves to get what he needs to run the bone marrow biopsy.

Mom and daughter sit there, lost in their own thoughts and memories.


	6. Chapter 6

Everyone has gathered in House's office.

"It's not cancer," Wilson states. "The bone marrow biopsy came back clean."

"Well it still could be pancreatic cancer, that hasn't been ruled out," Chase states as he looks up from the file. Wilson glares at him shaking his head.

"I still say multi-system organ failure, Foreman intonates as he makes another cup of coffee.

House is standing in front of the white board. His cane is hanging on it. He reads and re-reads what he has written over and over again. He removes the greatest of his vices from his pocket, downs it and swallows. "What was she doing when this all started?"

Cameron puts down her glasses, and looks up at House. "She was driving in a car . . her daughter was driving her home from work."

"What about the time before?"

Chase looks through the file. "She was at work. Big deal. She's a manager in a grocery store, I doubt there was something happening there."

House doesn't look convinced. "Haven't you learned anything by now? Everybody lies." He grabs his cane of the white board and walks out, quickly followed by the ducklings.


	7. Chapter 7

House walks in to the patient's room. The mother looks at him, questioningly. "I'm Dr. House. I'm in charge of your case." He turns to look at the daughter who had been sitting, but stood when she saw him walk into the room. "I think . . . " For once, House is totally at a loss for words, and is seemingly confused as he looks at the daughter. She is wearing the same Crucifix as Stacy.

He quickly looks away and begins to address the mother. "I think there has been some sort of trauma that has caused all of these problems."

"How?" Cally speaks up, and moves closer to her mother. "My mom works in the money room of a grocery store. Unless you count a paper count trauma!"

Chase muffles something along the lines of a snicker behind House, which in turn earns him a glare, but causes him to stop staring at the daughter, as he turned his attention back to her when she spoke up.

"Lift up your shirt," House barks at the mom.

Ashamedly she does, her upper arms and abdomen are covered in bruises.

"Oh my God!" gasps Cameron.

"Mom, I thought that you had you stopped working in the store . . . .that you were only doing the money room . . . ."

"Honey, you know how it is . . .someone calls out, someone's sick, it gets busy and they need me."

Cally turns to House, and the ducklings, who look slightly confused, not only because House knew, but as to how the bruises appeared. "The bundles, the grocery bags, have to go into buckets because the store runs under a highway. They're loaded on a conveyor belt and run down below the store where people pick them up in their cars. She must have repeatedly banged herself while lifting the buckets from the register to the belt."

House turns to his team. "Ultrasound her abdomen. You'll find the source of the bleed is her spleen. Remove it and remove the cause of the low platelet count."

House looks back at the daughter, nods at his team, and walks out.

Later that day . . . .

House is in his office avoiding clinic duty by playing his Game Boy when Cameron comes in.

"She is scheduled for surgery tomorrow."

"Good." House doesn't even look up at Cameron.

"How did you know?"

House sighs and stops his playing. "I didn't. I had a hunch that we didn't have the entire story, after the biopsy came back clean. Everybody lies.

House tosses the Game Boy on the desk, snatches up his cane, and leaves, leaving Cameron alone.


	8. Chapter 8

Wilson rolls his eyes as he sees House approach him in the cafeteria. "House, is there some sort of tracking device planted on me, so that you know when I have food?" Wilson sighs but doesn't stop House from sitting across from him. He knows the inevitable.

House snatches the chips off of Wilson's tray, opens the bag, and begins to eat them.

Wilson sighs again and rolls his eyes.

"Did you notice anything about the girl?" House mumbles through the crunching of the chips.

"What girl Cally, the daughter?"

"No, the mom. Of course I mean the daughter." House polishes off the last of the chips and licks the salt off of his fingers. Wilson just shakes his head.

"No, why? Do you think she is sick too?" Wilson picks up the remaining half of his sandwich and begins to eat it in hopes that he can for once have an entire sandwich.

"Not sick. You didn't notice, Mr. Fashion Pants?" House smirks at Wilson.

Wilson puts the remaining part of the sandwich down, and wipes his mouth with a napkin. "House, if you have a point to make, make it. I'm in no mood for guessing games."

House seizes the moment and grabs the rest of Wilson's sandwich and shoves it in his mouth. "Oh did another one of your patients die?" House can barely utter this as he chomps.

"House, I'm warning you . . ."

House sighs and looks seriously at Wilson. "She . . .she has the same Crucifix as Stacy."

"House, lots of people wear crosses and Crucifixes. It's called belief, faith, something you have none of."

"Wilson, did you hear a word I said?" I said it is the SAME as Stacy's.

"Yes, I heard you House, you aren't, you don't . . . . you spoke to her for what 5 seconds? It's mere coincidence. Lots of people believe in God, House. Just because you proclain to garner fact over faith doesn't mean . . . . " Wilson is exasperated now at his friend since his lunch is gone, and that House knew one of his patients had died without him even mentioning it.

"Wilson, it was exactly the same, not just like it. The same. It's very unique."

"House. . . .don't go down that road again."

"What road? I know she's not Stacy, but now I am curious."

"Oh you are curious?" Wilson sighs. "I've got to go." Wilson leaves House sitting there with the remains of what was once Wilson's lunch, and House's memories of a love lost.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning the ducklings are busy at work (read: drinking coffee and chatting) when House comes in for the day. He is on time, surprisingly. The three look at each other and exchange glances but do not say anything about his early arrival.

"The mom's in surgery. We won't have an update for another hour or so." Cameron stops stirring her coffee to pass this bit of information on to House.

House puts his backpack down by his desk. He looks at the three. "Do we have a new case?"

"No, its been quiet." Chase looks up from the paper and looks at House. Is his shirt ironed, he wonders?

"Well go do something, clinic duty, get us a case." House sounds agitated. He leaves the room. The three just stare at him as he heads down the hall, more determined than normally.

"Wonder what's eating him?" Chase states.

"Who cares? Cuddy's probably on his case about being on time. Let's go get this clinic duty out of the way." Foreman drains the remains of his coffee, and heads out, followed by Cameron and Chase.


	10. Chapter 10

After Cameron had told House that the mom was in surgery, he decided to pay the daughter a visit. After leaving the office, he heads to the patient's room, not there. He then heads to the waiting room, the cafeteria, and then backtracks his steps in case he missed her while she was using the bathroom or getting a coffee. He even went so far as to check the Chapel to see if she was praying. The daughter was nowhere to be found. \

House headed to the clinic, since that was where he was supposed to be. He didn't take a patient file, rather he went into an exam room to sulk, and to think this through. Why would a daughter who obviously cared about her mother not be there while the actual surgery was happening?

He sat there for a while, feet propped up, tapping his cane. Then he had Wilson paged for a consult.

Wilson arrived a short time later, and was not very surprised to see that there was no actual patient.

"What's up? Some incredible development in your soap? Cuddy wearing a particularly nice thong today and you just NEEDED to tell me?"

House rolls his eyes at Wilson. "What's the differential on a daughter who obviously cares about her mother, who isn't here while she's under the knife?"

"Not this again! House, she is probably in the cafeteria having lunch or a coffee . . . ."

"Nope. I checked all the places she could be. She is not in this hospital. Not in the cafeteria, the hospital room, the waiting room. I even checked the chapel."

"What, you didn't check the roof?" Wilson is exasperated at this point, and wonders what is really going on here.

House paused, realizing he had never checked his own place of solace and refuge. "No, I didn't think to check there. But I've been over this hospital, she's not here. I know it."

Wilson sighed. He knew his friend didn't like an unsolved mystery. He honestly didn't know what to say. "Maybe she went out to get some air. Maybe . . . I don't know House."

That was the thing. House didn't know either.

House sighted and reached into his pocket for his Vicodin. "Well as long as I'm down here I may as well get clinic duty over with."

Wilson nodded, and walked out of the room with him.

House saw patients at the clinic because at least it kept his mind partially off of the missing daughter, and it kept Cuddy off his back as well.

Wilson saw his patients and then had lunch with House. Rather Wilson paid for lunch for the both of them, and House ate his chips, as usual. House didn't mention the daughter and neither did Wilson, but Wilson knew it was on his mind . . . .

After lunch they parted ways and House went back to his office. The ducklings were there doing paperwork . . .no new case had come in.

Cameron reported that the surgery had been successful and that the mom was in recovery.

House nodded and abruptly left once again saying something along the lines of "gotta pee."

Cameron shook her head and went back to the paperwork, forms, and mail; a task her boss disliked immensely, so she dutifully completed it. Chase was completing a crossword, and Foreman was putting the finishing touches on an article he had written on a previous case.

So it was no surprise to any of them when House came back in again moments later looking irritated. He informed them he was going home for the day since none of then had come up with anything interesting for him.

He tossed his iPod in his backpack, and headed out the door.


	11. Chapter 11

House left PPTH and began the short walk to his motorbike. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining bright and this caused House to pause momentarily to retrieve his sunglasses from his backpack. When he looked up after locating them he saw her. She had obviously just arrived at the hospital and was standing behind her car in a secretive way. He moved a few feet ahead to nearer the trees and was able to observe her without being observed himself. She was smoking a cigarette and looking around as if she expected the Spanish Inquisition to take her down at any second.

At the same time, someone on the campus of PPTH was listening to music and while he watched her he could hear the lyrics and feel them all at the same time.

_Looking out my window at some girl as I'm writing this__  
__And I watch her eat a peach, the way she's biting it, biting it__  
__And I probably shouldn't stare, but I am fighting it, fighting it__  
__And I think that she's aware and kind of liking it, liking it___

_Hot girls, they can break me, break me__  
__Hot girls, you know what you're doing__  
__Now, hot girls, come and break me, break me__  
__Hot girls, take me where you are going___

_On her motorbike, the way she's riding it, riding it__  
__And she says it feels so good but she is hiding it, hiding it__  
__Wet lips to cigarette and now she's striking it, lighting it__  
__As she looks me in the eye, hell, she must know she's inviting it___

_Hot girls, they can break me, break me__  
__Hot girls, you know what you're doing__  
__Now, hot girls, come and break me, break me__  
__Hot girls, take me where you are going___

_I've got nothing to prove, ain't got nothing to lose__  
__If you need someone to use, I can take the abuse___

_holding up some paper to her window, she's writing her name__  
__and number and I'm laughing as I'm dialing it, dialing it___

_I've got nothing to prove, ain't got nothing to lose__  
__If you need someone to use, I can take the abuse_

_Hot girls, they can break me, break me  
Hot girls, you know what you're doing  
Now, hot girls, come and break me, break me  
Hot girls, take me where you are going_

_(Hot Girls, by INXS)_

In the moments that all of this happened House felt many things. Confusion, to what he was seeing and hearing, lust, as there were stirrings in his groin, and something that he remembered from before . . .happiness.

House continued to watch her. Cally brushed her hair, used mouthwash and popped some gum. She also seemed to spray some sort of perfume type stuff all over her and applied lotion to her hands. After this beauty ritual was over, she closed up her car, and began to walk in his direction.

House was momentarily paralyzed, having to make a decision as what to do. To head to his motorbike, and have to speak to her potentially, or to head back into PPTH. A split second later, he was back in the lobby of PPTH as fast as his leg would allow him. He had very few choices at the moment, and chose the clinic as the lesser of 2 evils, knowing he would never make the elevator bank before she entered, and knowing if he hit Cuddy's office, he would have to explain the helmet and why he was leaving in the middle of the afternoon. He limped through the clinic, and found that Wilson was currently staffing the clinic that afternoon. He barged in to where Wilson was treating a patient.

"Wilson, I need you."

"House, can you see I'm with a patient?" He didn't even bother to turn around.

"Wilson."

Something in House's voice must have struck Wilson, because he turned around to see his best friend, helmet in hand, looking confused as he had never seen him before.


	12. Chapter 12

Wilson excused himself from his patient and followed House into an adjacent exam room. Wilson waited, rather impatiently for House to tell him what he so urgently needed from him. House stood there, seemingly lost for words. Finally he began.

"I found her."

"The daughter? This, THIS is what you called me away from a patient for?" Wilson was rather irritated now.

"Oh I'm sure it's something that a monkey could diagnose, whatever the case may be."

"House."

"Jimmy, there is something about her. I froze when I saw her, and then hurried in here like a scared teenager." House uncharacteristically shared with Wilson his feelings in a rather hesitant matter.

Wilson was rather shocked at this admission from House. It had been sometime since House and shown an actual interest in someone else, not since Stacy, comments about Cuddy's ass aside. "Well, I'm not sure what you want me to do here. Ask her out for you?"

House looked up at him and rolled his eyes. "What I'm asking is should I ask her out?"

Wilson thought about this question, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. Knowing that whatever happened he would undoubtedly would be there for House no matter what the outcome. Part of him was reluctant to tell his friend to go for it. He had grown long accustomed to being the one with whom House dined, and all of that would change if there were a third party. But he wanted House to be happy, even if it meant a personal sacrifice on his end, again. Finally he answered. "Yes, I think you should."

Wilson went back to his patient, and House went back to his office, which gratefully was empty, meaning there would be no questions that would need to be answered by him to his nosy staff. He dumped his bag and jacket on his chair, and popped 2 Vicodin for courage. He then headed for the patient's room.

As House arrived at the room, the daughter, Cally, was exiting. "Dr. House! I'm so glad I got to see you. Dr. Cameron said you had left for the day already, and I wanted to thank you so much for all you've done."

House nodded, and something came out of his mouth that sounded like your welcome, but he was not sure. He was so aware of being in her presence, her scent of coconut (and if he wasn't mistaken Marlboro Lights), and that cross, that he wasn't sure of what he said. It was that or the extra Vicodin coursing through his veins.

"Mom is asleep, and I was just going for some coffee. Would you like to join me? It's the least I can do, for all you've done."

"Yes, coffee would be nice."

"Ok then."

The two headed for the elevators and made their way to the cafeteria, where coffee was procured and the two sat quietly, at first.

Now despite his nervousness, and the extra Vicodin, House was still House. "Why weren't you here when the surgery was going on?"

"I'm a terrible daughter, aren't I?" Cally smiled ruefully at House. She sighed and rubbed her temples. "I'm a bit of a workaholic, and it takes a lot for me to miss a day of work. I figured that it seemed so routine, it wasn't like it was open heart surgery or anything, and I was in constant contact with Dr. Cameron all morning, and I knew I'd be better off at work than here being a nuisance and stressing out about not being able to do anything. . . " Her voice trailed off as she absently fingered the talisman around her neck. "Sorry, I'm blathering on. Dr. House. I'm sure you didn't come down here to listen to me babble on."

House watched her hands, and neatly manicured nails fingering the talisman. "It's ok. You were talking to Cameron this morning? He had been rather taken aback by that remark, knowing that Cameron was suspicious about his recent behavior.

"Yes, through e-mail. I don't really have access to a phone during the day, and besides it isn't exactly easy to take a personal call with 20 eager ears hanging on your every word." She smiled when she said this.

"You're a teacher? And you don't like to miss work?" House sounded rather incredulous at this admission.

"Yup. I love my job, as tiring as it may be. And it is tiring, but at the end of the day, if I can have one kid come back to me and say I made a difference, it's all worth it. Anyways, I should go and check in on my mom again. I'm sure she's awake now. Thanks for the company." Cally stood up to go.

House stood up as well, and leaned heavily on his cane. He had been sitting in one particular spot for so long his leg muscles had tensed up on him. He winced.

"Are you ok? Cally looked up at him, concerned.

House nodded, surprised he wasn't annoyed by her concern.

She smiled. "Thanks again." Cally turned and headed for the elevators.

"Wait, Cally . . . "

She turned around, simultaneously saying "Yes."

"Do you like Chinese food?" House asked abruptly before he lost his nerve.

"Are you asking me out, Dr. House?"

"I, uhm, yes. Yes I am."

"I like Chinese, and I'm free Friday night." Cally said all of this with a smile, and headed for the elevators leaving a relieved Dr. House to just stand and watch.


End file.
